A Fight Worth Fighting: Eating "True Colors" in Fruits and Veggies

By Darci Steiner, Attainable Nutrition in Parker

Posted
5/9/12

It’s okay to judge a fruit or vegetable by its cover. Mother Nature provides clues to the nutritional value of its contents by the colors they wear. These beautiful array of colors contain plant chemicals (known as phytochemicals or phytonutrients) that give produce its protective health benefits; each color contains its own disease fighting nutrients.

The rainbow of colors found in fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants; substances such as vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin A and selenium. These substances act like powerful Pac-men gobbling up cells damaged by the effects of free radicals.

Free radicals are damaged molecules, which multiply and set the stage for disease. Molecules can become damaged by consuming food additives, processed foods, fertilizers, drugs, pesticides, sweeteners and food colorings made from chemicals. Naturally colored produce may be the strongest weapon in preventing and fighting disease. Consuming a variety of colors from a variety of sources is how to become well-armored for this food fight.

Antioxidants

The body naturally produces very limited amounts of antioxidants, so they must be supplied by the diet. Each color and each source provide a unique combination of nutrients that work synergistically together, unlike supplements, which extract only a few or one single nutrient. Whole foods provide these synergistic combinations naturally!

Proactively eating 5-9 servings of rainbow colored fresh fruits and vegetables daily may very well decrease risk of developing certain diseases. This is what these compact colorful foods can provide for our bodies.

Eating a cup of cooked spinach per week could reduce your risk of cataracts and age-related vision loss

Best eaten chopped and lightly cooked with a little bit of oil. This healthy fat helps the nutrients to absorb better into your body. Lightly sauté shredded kale or spinach in olive oil and add minced garlic, lemon juice and parmesan cheese.

Helps support strong bones, teeth and blood

Assists in maintaining heart health

Reduces cancer risk

When Hippocrates proclaimed in 400 BC, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food,” there were many thousands of undiscovered phytonutrients. His words have become more validated each passing year.

Researchers are discovering new plant chemicals all the time and learning new ways in which they fight disease and provide a basis for vibrant health. Phytonutrients are no longer believed to fight only deficiency-type diseases, but also elusive, age-related illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer.

Eating true colors in fruits and vegetables is a fight worth taking on. Now you know the reasons why.